“Gift from the Sea,” Grace, and a Woman at Peace with Herself
The source of our agitation is rarely external. We want badly to believe that someone else bears the blame for our sour […]
Noel Streatfeild’s “Ballet Shoes”: The Rhythms and Routines of Life and the People Who Make them Happen
Summer is the time in between, a time for reimagining the patterns of ordinary life. Once September is underway with a crush […]
The Pattern of a Beautiful Summer in Wallace Stegner’s “Crossing to Safety”
Wallace Stegner, the legendary author of the American West, also spent time teaching in New England. A keen observer, he recreates the […]
In Praise of Soft Girl Summer
There’s something irresistibly whimsical about the exhortation to “heal your feminine energy.” That is the invitation of “Soft Girl Summer,” some kind […]
Summer and Keeping the Big Picture in Mind
It’s easy to wax poetic about summer: endless open time, seemingly endless hours of evening light. The reality can involve more children […]
Catherine Price’s “The Power of Fun” and a Formula to Move Toward Eternity
Fun is a spritely thing. Hard to pin down, often out of reach. Children are apt to exclaim with satisfaction, “That was […]
Life in the South, a Life of Delight
The Southern states are oft-maligned. Ah, yes: “flyover country” with its masses of uneducated religious nuts, known for shooting squirrels and wrangling […]
Sarah Orne Jewett’s Mrs. Blackett, a Mother with Admirable Feminine Qualities
Sarah Orne Jewett’s “The Country of the Pointed Firs” is a short, meditative, plotless novella. But it is exquisite in its imagery. […]
Strength from “Peaceful Slumbers” and Neglecting the Power of Rest
Strength doesn’t lie in numbersStrength doesn’t lie in wealthStrength lies in nights of peaceful slumbersWhen you wake upWake up!It’s healthy We tend, […]
Abundance of the Rare and Hard-to-Find
Waiting for birds can be a lengthy process requiring stealth. Small, feathered creatures of great mystery flit just out of sight, their […]